Blueberry plant named ‘Ridley 1104’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Vaccinium  hybrid plant named ‘RIDLEY 1104’, characterized by its combination of spreading plant shape and strong plant growth vigor, evergreen foliage with broad leaves, early to medium timing of flowering and fruiting, medium to large fruit size, firm fruit suited to handling, attractive dark blue fruit color, medium to high berry sweetness and small picking scar.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Vaccinium hybrid.

Variety denomination: ‘Ridley 1104’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct perennial variety ofVaccinium hybrid (Southern Highbush Blueberry), which has been given thevariety denomination of ‘Ridley 1104’. Its market class is that of afruiting plant. ‘Ridley 1104’ is intended for use as fresh fruit forshipping, customer pick and processing markets and as a home gardenplant.

The new Vaccinium hybrid cultivar is a selection resulting fromseedlings produced in a controlled breeding programme of Vaccinium atLindendale, NSW, Australia in 2003 from the controlled pollination ofseed parent ‘C97-390’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,642) and pollen parent‘C97-41’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,757). The new cultivar was selected asa single plant within a population of plants resulting from thiscontrolled pollination of Vaccinium hybrids in 2005 in a commercialfield plantation environment at Lindendale, New South Wales, Australia.Selection criteria was a combination of strong plant growth vigor, lowchilling requirement, early to medium season of flowering and fruiting,firm fruit suited to handling, sweet berries and small picking scar. Theselection was subsequently evaluated for a number of years at thecommercial farms at Lindendale, New South Wales, Australia.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by cutting propagation since2005 at Lindendale, New South Wales, Australia and has demonstrated thatthe new cultivar reproduces true to type with all of thecharacteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retained throughsuccessive generations of such asexual propagation.

The new variety can be compared to the seed parent ‘C97-390’ (U.S. PlantPat. No. 20,642). In Lindendale, New South Wales, Australia the time ofboth flowering and fruit ripening of ‘Ridley 1104’ is classified as‘early to medium’ whereas the time of flowering and fruit ripening of‘C97-390’ is classified as ‘very early to early’. The berry diameter of‘Ridley 1104’ is ‘medium to large’ whereas the berry diameter of‘C97-390’ is ‘medium’. The new variety can also be compared to thepollen parent ‘C97-41’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,757). In Lindendale, NewSouth Wales, Australia the time of flowering of ‘Ridley 1104’ isclassified as ‘early to medium’ whereas the time of flowering of‘C97-41’ is classified as ‘early’. The berry diameter of ‘Ridley 1104’is ‘medium to large’ whereas the berry diameter of ‘C97-41’ is ‘medium’.

The new variety has been primarily compared to the variety ‘C99-42’(U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,695). In Lindendale, New South Wales, Australiathe time of beginning of flowering of ‘Ridley 1104’ is classified as‘early to medium’ whereas the time of beginning of flowering of time of‘C99-42’ is classified as ‘very early to early’. The time of fruitripening of ‘Ridley 1104’ is classified as ‘early to medium’ whereas thetime of fruit ripening of ‘C99-42’ is classified as ‘early’. The leaflength of ‘Ridley 1104’ is ‘medium to long’ whereas the leaf length of‘C99-42’ is ‘medium’. The leaf width of ‘Ridley 1104’ is ‘broad’ whereasthe leaf width of ‘C99-42’ is ‘narrow to medium’. The berry diameter of‘Ridley 1104’ is ‘medium to large’ (mean 16.2 mm) whereas the berrydiameter of ‘C99-42’ is ‘medium’ (mean 15.5 mm). The berry sweetness of‘Ridley 1104’ is ‘medium to high’ whereas ‘C99-42’ is ‘low to medium’.This combination of vegetative and fruiting attributes results in‘Ridley 1104’ being a desirable variety for very early to medium seasoncommercial production. See Table 1 for comparisons.

‘Ridley 1104’ can be compared to the variety ‘Star’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No.10,675). The plant growth vigour of ‘Ridley 1104’ is ‘strong’ whereasthe plant growth vigour of ‘Star’ is ‘medium’. The plant growth habit of‘Ridley 1104’ is spreading whereas the plant growth habit of ‘Star’ isupright. The leaf length of ‘Ridley 1104’ is medium to long whereas theleaf length of ‘Star’ is medium. The leaf width of ‘Ridley 1104’ isbroad whereas the leaf length of ‘Star’ is narrow. The berry diameter of‘Ridley 1104’ is medium to large (mean 16.2 mm) whereas the berrydiameter of ‘Star’ is large (mean 18.1 mm). The average berry weight of‘Ridley 1104’ is 1.9 g whereas the average berry weight of ‘Star’ is 2.3g. The berry calyx basin diameter of ‘Ridley 1104’ is small to medium(mean 5.5 mm) whereas the berry calyx basin diameter of ‘Star’ is largeto very large (mean 8.8 mm). The berry calyx basin depth of ‘Ridley1104’ is deep whereas the berry calyx basin depth of ‘Star’ is shallow.The berry sweetness of ‘Ridley 1104’ is ‘medium to high’ whereas ‘Star’is ‘low to medium’.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedlyobserved and can be used to distinguish ‘RIDLEY 1104’ as a new anddistinct cultivar of Vaccinium hybrid plant:

-   -   1. Spreading plant growth habit    -   2. early to medium timing of beginning of flowering    -   3. early to medium timing of fruit ripening    -   4. Strong plant growth vigour    -   5. Dark blue berry color    -   6. Berry firmness is firm    -   7. Picking scar is dry    -   8. Leaf width is broad    -   9. Berry size is medium to large    -   10. Berry sweetness is medium to high

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonablypossible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typicalflower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in thephotographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detaileddescription, which accurately describes the colors of ‘RIDLEY 1104’.

FIG. 1 illustrates a ‘RIDLEY 1104’ bush in a commercial field planting.

FIG. 2 illustrates a ‘RIDLEY 1104’ leaf, berry and flower shape anddimensions.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed botanical description of a new and distinctvariety of an Vaccinium hybrid ornamental plant known as ‘RIDLEY 1104’.Plant observations were made on plants grown in Lindendale, New SouthWales, Australia. Unless indicated otherwise, the descriptions disclosedherein are based upon observations made in August 2009 of mature ‘RIDLEY1104’ plants (age 4 years) grown in outdoor field plantings with daytemperature ranging from 21° C. to 23° C., night temperatures rangingfrom 10° C. to 12° C., and light levels ranging from 6 to 8 klux. Thoseskilled in the art will appreciate that certain characteristics willvary with older or, conversely, younger plants. ‘RIDLEY 1104’ has notbeen observed under all possible environmental conditions. Wheredimensions, sizes, colors and other characteristics are given, it is tobe understood that such characteristics are approximations or averagesset forth as accurately as practicable. The phenotype of the variety mayvary with variations in the environment such as season, temperature,light quality, light intensity, day length, cultural conditions and thelike. Color notations are based on The Royal Horticultural SocietyColour Chart, of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, 2007 edition.

-   Botanical classification: Vaccinium hybrid cultivar RIDLEY 1104.-   Parentage:    -   -   Parents.—Seed parent ‘C97-390’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,642);            pollen parent ‘C97-41’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,757).-   Plant:    -   -   Growth habit.—Spreading.        -   Growth vigor.—Is strong.        -   Plant height.—Is approximately 1.9 m.        -   Plant width.—Is approximately 1.5 m.        -   Flower bud density.—Is medium.        -   Twigginess.—Is low.        -   Time of beginning of flowering.—Is early to medium (begins            early May; peaks late July) when grown as an evergreen in            Australia.        -   Time of fruit ripening.—Is early to medium (begins mid June;            peaks late September) when grown as an evergreen in            Australia.-   Stem:    -   -   Suckering tendency.—Plants typically have 5-7 major canes            per plant from a base 25 cm in diameter on 5 year old            plants.        -   Canes.—Semi-erect with moderate branching; color greyed            orange 198C; 2 year old cane diameter 12 mm, colored greyed            orange 177B, some flaking of bark, current season wood            diameter 3-4 mm, colored yellow green 144C.        -   Internode length on strong, new shoots.—15-20 mm.        -   Fruiting wood.—Numerous twigs to 10 cm in length.        -   Surface texture of new wood.—Smooth.-   Fully developed leaf:    -   -   Length.—Medium to long 60-70 mm.        -   Width.—Broad approximately 40 mm.        -   Shape.—Elliptic.        -   Color of upper surface.—Yellow green 137A.        -   Color of lower surface.—Yellow green 148C.        -   Intensity of color.—Medium.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Undulation of margin.—Weak.        -   Pubescence of upper side.—Absent.        -   Pubescence of lower side.—Absent.        -   Cross sectional profile.—Flat.        -   Longitudinal profile.—Straight.        -   Attitude.—Broad acute to horizontal.        -   Shape of apex.—Is acuminate.        -   Shape of base.—Is obtuse.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Length of peduncle.—To 12 mm.        -   Length of pedicel.—Long 4-6 mm.        -   Number of flowers per cluster.—Median 7.        -   Flower cluster density.—Is medium.        -   Diameter.—20-30 mm.        -   Length.—30-50 mm.        -   Color of peduncle.—146C.        -   Texture of peduncle.—Is smooth.        -   Color of pedicel.—146C.        -   Texture of pedicel.—Is smooth.-   Flowers:    -   -   Length of bud.—Medium (to 12 mm), bud shape tubular, oblong            with acute apex.        -   Bud color.—Green 138A (calyx) with white 155D corolla.        -   Length of corolla tube.—Medium to long (to 15 mm).        -   Width of corolla tube.—Medium to broad (to 11 mm).        -   Corolla aperture diameter.—3-4 mm.        -   Color of corolla.—White 155D.        -   Anthocyanin coloration of corolla.—Absent.        -   Corolla ridges.—Present.        -   Protusion of stigma.—Absent.        -   Fragrance.—Weak.        -   Shape.—Urceolate.        -   Abundance of pollen.—High.        -   Calyx (with sepals) diameter.—5-6 mm.        -   Calyx color.—Green 138A.-   Productivity: 3 to 4 kg per season from 3-4 year old plants planted    at 3.0 m×0.9 m density.-   Cold hardiness: RIDLEY 1104 has not been grown in all environments    including harsh winter environments. Cold tolerance is expected to    be low.-   Chilling requirement: RIDLEY 1104 has not been grown in all    environments and is typically grown as an evergreen crop where    chilling hours are not important. RIDLEY 1104 is classed as ‘low    chill’, typical of Southern Highbush Blueberry varieties with an    estimated chilling requirement of 250 hours (not tested).-   Leafing: Plants retain leaves year round (at Lindendale, NSW    Australia) and RIDLEY 1104 is grown commercially as an evergreen    crop. New leafing occurs in mid to late August at Lindendale, NSW    Australia.-   Fruit:    -   -   Unripe fruit color intensity.—Light.        -   Unripe fruit color.—144A.        -   Cluster density.—Is medium.        -   Diameter.—Is medium to large (mean 16.2 mm).        -   Weight.—Medium (approximately 1.9 g).        -   Shape.—Round.        -   Attitude of calyx.—Erect.        -   Diameter of calyx basin.—Medium (mean 5.5 mm).        -   Depth of calyx basin.—Is deep (to 2.2 mm).        -   Intensity of bloom.—Strong.        -   Intensity of blue color of skin with bloom removed.—Is very            dark.        -   Color of skin.—202A.        -   Sweetness when ripe.—Medium to high.        -   Color of flesh when ripe.—Yellow green 145D to yellow green            150D.        -   Firmness when ripe.—Firm.        -   Acidity when ripe.—Medium.        -   Size of scar.—Is small (1.0-1.5 mm).        -   Storage quality.—Good.-   Date of 50% maturity: Approximately 25^(th) August at Lindendale,    NSW Australia.-   Fruit development period: Approximately 55 days in protected    cultivation at Lindendale, NSW Australia.-   Seed:    -   -   Seed color.—Greyed orange 165B.        -   Seed abundance in fruit.—Medium.        -   Seed size.—1.6-1.8 mm long for fully developed seeds.

TABLE 1 Comparison with other varieties (extract from Australian PBRdata) Organ/Plant Part: Context Ridley 1104 C99-42 Star Plant: vigourstrong medium medium Plant: growth habit spreading semi upright uprightLeaf: length medium to long medium medium Leaf: width broad narrow tonarrow medium Leaf: shape elliptic elliptic elliptic Leaf: colour ofupper side green green green Leaf: intensity of green medium mediummedium colour on upper side (varieties with green leaf colour only)Leaf: margin entire entire entire Flower: size of corolla tube medium tolarge medium medium Flower: anthocyanin absent or very absent or veryabsent or colouration of corolla tube weak weak very weak Flower: ridgeson corolla present present present tube Fruit cluster: density mediumdense medium Flower: protusion of stigma absent absent present Unripefruit: intensity of light light light green colour Fruit: size medium tolarge medium to large large Fruit: shape in longitudinal round roundround section Fruit: attitude of sepals erect erect erect Fruit:diameter of small to medium large to calyx basin medium very largeFruit: depth of calyx basin deep medium shallow Fruit: intensity ofbloom strong strong strong Fruit: colour of skin dark blue dark bluedark blue Fruit: firmness firm firm firm Fruit: sweetness medium to highlow to medium low to medium Fruit: acidity medium medium medium Fruit:size of scar small small small Fruit: average weight of ripe 1.9 1.6 2.3berry (g) Time of: beginning of early to medium very early to early toflowering on current year's early medium shoot (varieties which fruit onone-year-old and current season's shoots only) Time of: beginning offruit early to medium early early to ripening on current year's mediumshoot (varieties which fruit on one-year-old and current season'sshoots)

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Vaccinium hybrid plant named ‘RIDLEY1104’, substantially as herein shown and described.